The time for pre-conference tuning up is over.

It is time to put the experience gained from early season tournaments to use.

The Penn State softball team will open its 2001 Big Ten season this weekend when it plays three games at home. The Lions will open up conference play against Northwestern tomorrow at 2 p.m.

They will also play two games against the defending Big Ten champions, Iowa. The first game will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The second will be at 12 p.m. on Sunday. All games will be played on Nittany Lion Field.

The Lions come into this weekend's action after going 18-10 in the pre-conference portion of their schedule. They ended those games by sweeping a doubleheader against St. Francis on Wednesday.

A star of the doubleheader was senior pitcher Kelly McCann. McCann gave up no earned runs in 8 1/2 innings of work. Although McCann's pitching gives the Lions a boost going into this weekend, McCann said the fact that the team played well is more important for the team.

"It is more important when the team plays well and comes together," McCann said. "It definitely pumps us up."

The team will also be pumped up because of the competition it is playing in its upcoming games. The Wildcats finished fourth in the Big Ten Last season, one loss behind Penn State.

So far this season the Wildcats are playing below .500, but Penn State softball coach Robin Petrini said that their record is not a good indicator of how good they are.

"Northwestern is a good team," Petrini said. "They have been bitten by the injury bug and are now starting to get some of their players back."

You will not find many people arguing that Iowa is not a good team. The Hawkeyes come into this weekend with a 21-6 record and are the No. 12 team in the country.

Along with the impressive record, the Hawkeyes have a few notable wins this season. They defeated No. 9 Arizona State twice, No. 20 Texas A&M once and handed No. 3 California their only loss of the season.

Iowa will bring one of the best pitchers in the nation to Happy Valley this weekend. Junior Kristi Hanks was last season's Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. She ended the 2000 campaign with an ERA of 0.91 and a record of 21-8. Much of her success can be attributed to her pinpoint control.

"She changes speeds and hits her spots real well," third baseman Jennifer Tripken said. "You have to give her credit."

Iowa has won four Big Ten titles and has received much national attention. Petrini knows that a win over the Hawkeyes would be a big step for her team as it tries to win the conference championship for itself.

"Iowa is off to a great start this year," Petrini said. "Knocking off the No. 12 team in the nation would be great."

The team knows that the competition this weekend will be tough. It also knows that playing well against that competition can go a long way in putting it where it wants to be.

"We want to start the season on the right foot," Tripken said. "We have a chance to have a good start to the season.